Set Adrift -- Sailing with the Disney Cruise Line
Part III in a series

by Deb Wills
ALL EARS® Editor

Feature Article

This article appeared in the
September 24, 2002 Issue #157 of ALL EARS®
(ISSN: 1533-0753)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Beth Foss (www.pinkribboncruises.com), Jennifer
Watson and Dave Marx (www.passporter.com), and the Magical Disney
Cruise Guide (MDCG) also contributed to this article, which is
the third in a series of All Ears® articles on cruising with
Disney. The first article in this series (in the 6/25/02 issue of
All Ears®) provided a history of the Disney Cruise Line (DCL),
discussed the different types of cruises offered by Disney and
described how to choose a stateroom. The second (in the 8/31/02
issue of All Ears®) addressed weather, getting to and parking at
the Port, staying in the area, and most importantly the cost of a
cruise.

If you've been following along, you know we are almost ready to
check-in and board the Disney Cruise Line!

Depending on your particular cruise package, your Cruise
Documents will arrive anywhere from 2-6 weeks prior to your
sailing date. If you booked air travel your documents will arrive
closer to your departure date as tickets are run far in advance.
If you don't have them in your hands two weeks prior, you should
call Disney Cruise Line or your travel agent.

When the documents arrive, look them over carefully to make sure
everything regarding your cruise (sailing date, cabin number,
passengers) is accurate. Take the time to fill out the documents
before you leave for Port Canaveral. You will need the cruise
documents fully completed for check-in at the Port.

Oh boy -- a nightmare for some! How much and what do you bring?!
First and foremost, remember this is a Disney Cruise. On other
cruise lines, the norm may be "dressing up" for dinner, but this
is not an issue on the Disney Cruise -- though there are a few
restrictions such as no shorts, T-shirts or jeans worn in any of
the restaurants in the evening.

Folks cruising on the 3- and 4-day packages do not have a "formal
night" aboard ship, so your clothing is much like you might pack
for a WDW vacation -- some call it "Resort Casual." However, if
you are on the 7-day Eastern or Western Caribbean tour, that's a
slightly different story. These cruises *do* have formal and
semi-formal evenings.

People tend to get their "Sunday best" out for dinner at
Lumiere's, Triton's or Palo. Resort casual is the norm for
Animator's Palate and Parrot Cay.

On the 7-day cruises, most folks dress up for the formal and
semi-formal nights -- even Mickey and Minnie are in their formal
attire. But I have also seen people in a nice shirt/top and
slacks/pants. If you are not the dress-up type at all, keep in
mind you can skip any of the formal meals for the more casual
Topsider's Buffet. I have to say, though, there is not much cuter
than a young boy in a suit or tux.

Speaking of which, you can rent a tux and have it delivered to
your stateroom for a fee. It's very convenient and works well.
Beth Foss explains: "These days, you can rent the entire outfit,
right down to the socks and shiny shoes! (Actually, you get to
keep the socks.) The formal wear companies are even starting to
carry a line for ladies -- although who'd be brave enough to rent
a dress without trying it on first is beyond me!"

As noted in MDCG, "We'd be remiss if we didn't mention somewhere
in the Magical Disney Cruise Guide the famous and fabulous
Calgon's Ultimate Packing Lists. Calgon, a cruise addict, has
created a series of wonderful cruise packing lists that contain
everything that you could possibly need on a cruise." They may be
found at: http://www.geocities.com/Calgon1/

A carry-on or day bag is very important to bring with you into
the Port! Your luggage has already been taken by the porters to
load on the ship (that is, provided you correctly filled out the
labels in your Cruise Documents). Your bags will make their way
to your stateroom, but there are no guarantees as to what time
they will arrive -- with occasional delays they may not arrive
until the evening. If you have the early dinner seating, this
could be a problem. Therefore, we recommend you plan ahead and
pack the items you will need!

Jennifer and Dave note: "For those unfamiliar with the cruise,
your luggage is collected upon arrival (or even earlier if you've
booked a land/sea package or airport transfer with Disney) and
you don't see your bags until later in the day. Thus, you want to
have a well-stocked day bag. Ours had our PassPorters (with
passports), cruise documents, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, books,
snacks, bottled water, camera, camcorder, and extra batteries.
Some folks like to pack swimsuits so they can take advantage of
the pools, as they aren't very busy on embarkation day. The most
important thing, of course, is those cruise documents and photo
identification."

Beth Foss agrees: "I cannot overemphasize how important it is to
keep your documents, birth certificate/passport, photo ID, and
medications with you as well as any valuables. If there's
something you'd be really upset to never see again, either carry
it with you or leave it at home. (Not that there's a baggage
handling problem, but better safe than sorry!) If you
accidentally pack your documents and/or ID, your luggage may be
taking a cruise without you!"

Even on my second Disney cruise, I had butterflies in my stomach
and felt like a little kid when we arrived at the DCL Port. It is
a beautiful, immense, themed structure done completely in hues of
blue to give you the feeling that you've already begun on your
cruise.

As you enter the upstairs check-in and boarding area, the
counters for registering are on the left. Sometimes the lines are
short, other times longer, it just depends. Remember if you are a
Castaway Club member, you may access the special line to the far
right.

During check-in you will turn in your completed cruise documents,
have your identification checked (see below) and be issued your
"Key to the World" card. These are almost identical to the cards
you receive when you check into a Disney resort. Keep in mind,
this card becomes just like cash! EVERYTHING on board ship is
paid for with the card. NO cash is accepted (at least that I
could determine). Your card will also lock and unlock your
stateroom safe. It also contains your dining rotation sequence.

According to MDCG, US Customs laws require you to prove that you
belong in the US before they will let you back in. A passport
will always work for ID at registration, otherwise, a birth
certificate and photo ID or green card is sufficient. The
documents state that you need a raised seal on your birth
certificate. If you don't have a driver's license, you'll need a
state ID card or another government-issued picture ID. Minors
don't need a photo ID, just a birth certificate.

"Immigration has started to really crack down on ID over the last
two months or so," notes Beth Foss. "While you may have been able
to slide by previously with less-than-perfect ID, that's no
longer the case. If you are using a passport, it needs to be a
valid one -- not an expired one. If you are a US citizen using a
birth certificate instead, it MUST be a certified certificate
which is indicated by the raised seal. (This is stressed on the
fluorescent orange stickers Disney now plasters on the front of
your cruise document box.) Some birth certificates are
hospital-issued and some are state-issued. Either is fine, but it
needs to have that seal stuck on it OR embossed wording.
Photocopies will absolutely NOT be accepted. If you need a birth
certificate, check out the CDC site
(http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm) to see where to
write."

Once this process is completed, you may board the ship (if it has
opened) or sit and relax on one of the benches. There is a small
beverage stand with some munchies but, for the most part, no food
is available here.

TIP: If you plan to arrive before the ship opens, be sure to
bring something to read, activities for the kids and maybe even
snacks! A cafe with specialty coffees, basic pastries and limited
snacks opens at 11 a.m. There is a seating area with a television
showing Disney clips.

Boarding is easy and Disney handles it very smoothly. You'll see
folks lining up on the far left corner of the building, anxiously
awaiting the "rope drop." Disney typically begins boarding at
noon.

As you enter, don't be surprised to see a security guard with a
bomb-sniffing dog! You will find yourself in a room, similar to
airline security areas where you will pass through a metal
detector and put your items on the scanning belt. (Don't worry,
they aren't looking for food or liquor -- they are looking for
safety reasons!) There is a turnstile to put your Cruise ID card
into and away you go! (All Ears® has recently heard that this
security check-in has moved to outside the terminal and you must
pass through it before entering the building. Can anyone verify
this?)

Before you know it, a Cast Member is asking your name and you
step right into the atrium on Deck 4 of the ship. And about this
time, my mouth always drops open and I just stand there!

This is the one part of your cruise that may be hectic -- the
scramble for those special reservations. Key times for spa
treatments, special meals at Palo (dinner, champagne brunch, tea)
and Flounder's Reef Nursery fill up quickly. In fact, if you are
on a 3- or 4-day cruise, you might want to split up your party if
you are making multiple reservations.

Keep in mind though, once this part is over with, you can kick
back and relax for the rest of your voyage!!! The Magical Disney
Cruise Guide covers the reservation scramble in great detail, but the following will give you an idea:

First, go to your stateroom. You will find your Personal
Navigator (description of activities, times, etc.) for the first
day of your cruise, as well as your dining rotation card. This
will be especially important if you want to dine at Palo. Check
to see what time reservations are accepted for all the special
items you wish to book. For instance, Palo's reservation desk
might open at 1:30 or not until 2 p.m.

Palo is the fine dining, adult-only restaurant located on Deck
10, available on all four cruises. Special reservations need to
be made to dine here. It costs $5 per person and is more than
worth the price! A wine tasting is also offered at Palo ($10).
The servers are outstanding and the food incredible! As an
additional treat, the 7-day cruises have two additional offerings
at Palo: a Champagne Brunch ($12) and an Afternoon Tea. If you
love trying all different kinds of food, try to get to the
Champagne Brunch. We'll cover more on cruise dining in a future
article, but I assure you this is a wonderful experience! On my
recent 7-day cruise, the champagne brunch and tea booked very
quickly the afternoon we boarded.

Deck Nine is where you will find the Vista Spa. As you enter, you
can either take the tour to see the facilities and what is
offered, or, if you already know what you want, go directly to
the appointment desk. The Days at Sea fill quickly (especially on
the 3- and 4-day cruises) and so do massages. We'll cover more on
the spa in a future article!

Child Care at Flounder's Nursery needs to be booked as well. The
nursery is on Deck 5. If appropriate, register your children at
the various Kids' Clubs. You will also receive a special
Navigator for kids' activities!

Jennifer Watson says, "My first stop was the Oceaneer Club and
Lab, Deck 5 midship. These areas are normally restricted to
registered kids and their parents during the cruise, but on the
first afternoon the doors are open to anyone who wants to take a
look. The children's areas looked like a lot of fun -- almost
made me want to be a kid myself so I could come here and play. I
highly recommend that anyone with kids between 3-12 sign their
kids up early for the programs -- from our observations, the
earlier the kids get involved, the more likely they are to enjoy
it."

If there is a special shore excursion you want to take and have
not booked it in advance, go down to Deck 4 and sign up (usually
begins at 1:30 p.m.). Otherwise, you can wait before signing up
for an excursion. Keep in mind the popular ones book quickly and
may even close in advance of the sailing date.

Whew! OK, NOW it's time to relax and enjoy your vacation!

Are you hungry? Topsider's Buffet has a Welcome Aboard buffet
complete with peel and eat shrimp. You can dine inside or
outside. Parrot Cay is also available with a Welcome Aboard
buffet. If the lines are long or you would be just as happy with
pizza or a burger, visit the poolside snack bars!

Safety is a huge issue with me, so I want to make sure you are
aware of the mandatory safety drill on the cruise! MDCG sums it
up nicely:

"The United States Coast Guard requires that all vessels carrying
passengers for hire from US ports conduct a safety and boat drill
within 24 hours of departure. All cruise ships that we know of
conduct this drill just before departure. This drill is mandatory
for all passengers and crew. The Boat Drill is scheduled for 4
p.m. You will need to go to your stateroom and get lifejackets,
one for each person, then proceed to your boat station. Which is
your boat station? Look at the back of your stateroom door. It
explains everything. If you forget your boat letter, check your
lifejacket, it is the big green letter on the bottom. The way to
your boat station is well marked on the bulkheads (walls) around
the ship and there are lots of traffic people to direct you. You
must make this drill or you will find a little note on your cabin
door. They won't send you ashore or anything like that, but the
safety officer will frown at you."

TIP: Please take a moment to prepare little kids for the boat
drill. With the popularity of the movie Titanic, many kids are
fearful of the ship sinking and them turning into human
popsicles. Though the P.A. announcement does a good job
explaining about the safety equipment on the ship, you'll want to
take a moment to reassure them that this is simply a quick
practice and that they'll be fine.

Can you believe it's already 5 p.m.? Go get your favorite cool
beverage and head up to Decks 9 and 10 for the festive Sail Away
Party! I just love the party and it's a great way to get your
cruise started! If you have kids or want to be in the middle of
the action, go to Deck 9. Otherwise, Deck 10 offers great vantage
points to watch and enjoy! The Sail Away Celebration features
lively music and Disney characters as well as an opportunity to
meet some of the cruise staff.

Be sure to be on deck as the horn sounds on departure and enjoy
the festivities!

Jeff and Janet Harp write that they "enjoyed the sail away
parties, as that is what makes a cruise a cruise -- you get to
sail off in the sunset with music and dancing and food, one big
party!"

Wendy Rottner adds, "Be sure to tell people to look out at the
terminal as they sail - seeing the cast members with big Mickey
gloves on waving to you starts the trip off great!! They do it on
Castaway Cay as well. Just shows their great attention to
detail!!"

TIP: Bring along bubbles for the sail away party. It's great fun
for kids and adults!

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Watch for Part IV of this series on the Disney Cruise Line,
coming to All Ears® soon.

This is the third in a series of ALL EARS® articles on the Disney
Magic. If you have cruised on the Disney Magic and would like to
contribute to the articles, please send your trip report or
comments to cruise@allears.net

For more detailed information on the Disney Cruise Line
experience, check out Mickey's Magical Disney Cruise Guide.
All of our Disney Cruise Line information including the previous
features articles are available at:
http://allears.net/cruise/cruise.htm